The Dickinson press., 1887-06-04
MEETING OF THE OLD SETTLERS.
They Celebrate the Fifth Anniversary
Of Their Arrival in Stark County.

They Celebrate the Fifth Anniversary
Of Their Arrival in Stark County.
In accordance with previous an
nouncement, the old settlers of Stark
county, more especially those who set
tied in the Gladstone colony in 1882,
assembled at that place for an old set
tiers picnic on last Tuesday. The
ground chosen for the general rendez-
vouse "a admirably adapted for the
purpose and the weather was all that
could be desired. The place selected
is about five minutes walk from the
business portion Of the village, a little
west and south of the bridge across
the Heart river, in IL grove of young
box-elders. which furnished pleasant
shade, and, close by are fine springs of
clear. cool water, while all around am
pie room and plenty of grass was
found on which to picket horses.
Promptly at noon the assembly was
called to order by the president of the
day, II. W. Bates, and VIM. b. Pow
ers was introduced us principal orator.
His effort at speech making was a
surprise to some of those who con
sidered themselves best acquainted
with him. lie showed that i'll all
communities there are some chronic
grumblers and in all new settlements
some faint hearted. To confuund one
and encourage the other he compared
Florida. the far famed land of the
lemon and orange grove, the snake
and the alligator. its sandy plains and
mismatic swamps and it's ague strick-
en- pioneers, with the fertile lands of
Dakota, its pure air and water where
ague is unknown, where all are so
healthy that cemeteries are consid-
cred Improbable investments and
hardly necessary, iand where all the
raised by shipping a little surplus No.
l hard and u few fat cattle to the
hungry fellows farther south. Our
winters, with all their rigor, he pre-
ferred to the bottomlesS mud of Ore
gon or Washington territory. He had
tried both and had made his deliber-
ate choice. He contended that the
condition of Stark county and it's set
tiers, to-day. compared favorahly with
settlements in new countries any
where and that, in IL very few years
the land which now Il he had for
the taking will command from twenty.
five to fifty dollars per acre. His
style was quite humorous and when
he concluded he was highly applauded.
Mr.. G.,S. Crync. as historian, was
next called for. He read IL detailed
account of the happenings since the
organization of the colony; aiming
especially to give the first of every
class of events since the settlement
The first to squat, the first to file OF
land, the first to marry, the first birth
the first to build, etc, and the time
and order in which stores We're open
ed for trade, churches were built, &c
After the reading of the histor.
Mr.. Starr made a few remarks a
then the whole company seemed T.
, resolve itself into committees of seN
eral, to select sites upon which t
spread buffalo robes, riggs, shaw
and anything that would do to 81
, upon in circles. Baskets, numerou
with contents bulky, We're produce
and unloadcd on cloths spread With
! the circles and a display was mad
L showing that there was 10 famine i
that part of Dakota, that day. Their
\ was the utmost liberality and no on
r was allowed to go hungry.
After dinner music, anecdotes, joke
and friendly chats were in order. Til
crowd began to dispense toward ever
ing after a very pleasant time. Al
other meeting is to held at about TIL
same time next year. There was
| fair attendance of visitors from tn
east end of the county. The attcnc
: ance from this place was probabl
much less than it would have bee
4, had the train from the west been o
time. In connection with the sam
OCCASION, there was a dance ut nigh
in the village. There was a good at
tendance there and all seemed to Ell
Joy themselves.